It's the time of year when prospective applicants are preparing for the next admissions season. If you too are planning for next year, you may be wondering:

- Should you go to graduate school?

- To which kind of program should you apply?

To answer those questions "Begin with the end in mind” as Dr. Stephen Covey advises. Unless you seek a graduate degree strictly for personal growth and the intellectual benefits -- pretty rare -- you should pursue the degree in order to advance professionally or achieve a professional goal. That advice means you need to have a professional goal.

For example, you should pursue an MBA if you need the credential or education to advance in your career or move into a business management role. The IT person who wonders whether to pursue an MS in computer science or an MBA needs to decide whether he wants to progress in technical roles or if he wants a broader degree that will prepare him for management positions. Does he want to deepen his skill set or complement his previous education? If the former, the MS is more appropriate; if the latter, the MBA will better prepare him for his desired career.

Choosing to study at INHolland University of Applied Sciences means choosing a university of higher professional education with the student at its heart. Not only do we provide modern, high quality education, but also personal learning plans. Students get the opportunity to establish interesting and useful networks with lecturers, peers and future employers, and to tailor their programme to match their individual preferences and ambitions.

INHolland is based across several campuses in the Netherlands, where you can take advantage of our modern, dynamic facilities with:

It's an admissions officer's dream: ever-growing stacks of applications from students with outstanding test scores, terrific grades and rigorous academic preparation. That's the pleasant prospect faced by the University of Virginia and some other U.S. colleges, which are receiving a surging number of applications from China.

A Senator in the Australian Green Party says stories of student exploitation and mistreatment have been emerging from Australia's international education industry. Two important student groups have called for an inquiry, and the Australian Senate should follow up, said Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

"The international education sector exists at the intersection of Australia's immigration and education regulations," the South Australian senator said in a statement. She said issues brought to the attention of the Greens included visa requirements, exploitation and discrimination within employment, student safety and information provided by migration agents.

The International Student Forums and Message Board are a great way for students and advisors to interact with each other to share advice and pass along knowledge. Our forums currently have over 5,000 members and nearly 7,000 posts have been submitted - we welcome you all to join us!

we are a family currently living in a town in the north of Italy. we would love to welcome in our house a strong, caring and responsible au pair to help us our with our children (2 and a half and 6 years old, and a baby on its way!) for more details please contact us answering this post
Noemi

If you or someone you know is interested, visit our forums and post your response:

With all the heavy news about Swine Flu, we thought we would show you the lighter side with the website Weird Asia News. Weird Asia News reports all the unique and abstract news stories from across Asia, and its quirky stories are guaranteed to brighten up your day. Started in 2006 by Sun Tzu, the site is now one of the most popular sites available only for weird and wonderful news stories - so be sure to check it out!

Students (all nationalities) interested in studying at one of Europe's leading research universities on a one year full-time Masters and Scholarship programme in the following subject areas: Archaeology, Humanities, Law, Science, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Medicine.

Most programmes are taught in English. This allows students from all over the world to study in Leiden in one of the many areas of international excellence of the University

What makes Leiden University special?

Strong emphasis on the quality of education and research

Broad range of programmes

Highly qualified teaching staff

A multi-cultural learning environment

Leiden is a student city where students feel safe and secure

Centrally located in between the cities of Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht

French is often called “the language of love”, but with well over 70 million native speakers and a further 190 million secondary speakers, it is also an important international business language. If you choose to learn French in France, then because of the popularity of French cuisine, wine and fashion there are language courses that combine these elements with French language learning.

In Quebec language schools might take you to see how maple syrup is produced, while in Belgium, you’re well placed to get an insight into the workings of the European Union. In Switzerland, for example, you might be in the classroom for your French course in the morning and then take to the ski slopes in the afternoon.

To find the right French course, “The Language Course Finder” offers you the opportunity to search for language courses according to your personal criteria (e.g., location, course type, group size, accommodation, supplementary activities…)

Click here to find your French course now and experience a unique language.

The 2009 NAFSA Annual Conference takes place at the end of May in Los Angeles, California. It is the largest international education conferences in the world and a time for international educators and service providers to enhance their professional knowledge and network, and to socialize and connect throughout the week.

InternationalStudent.com will be there again this year, at booth 1001 right in the front of the exhibit hall. If you are an international education professional and would like to learn more about what we do, or how we can help you attract more international students and expose your school to the nearly 3,000,000 international students who visit our network each year - let us know!

We hope you enjoyed this month's newsletter, and best of luck to you as you pursue or help others pursue an international education! As always please contact us with any questions or comments you have about the newsletter - we love to hear from you!